Toronto: Bakka Phoenix

Bakka Phoenix is THE bookstore in Toronto to get your sci fi & fantasy fix. My first visit was shortly after I moved to the city and appeared as an extra in SNOW, a film adaptation of a graphic novel about life on Queen West. Huge selection, especially strong on backlist titles by authors you mayjust be discovering now, and the staff will always help you find your next favourite!

Highlights: Curated selection focusing on sci fi/fantasy, highlights work of local authors <3

This is a charming little bookstore located inside the Toronto Reference Library that does amazing work supporting the local community of authors and comic artists. Starting as a pop-up shop for the annual Toronto Comics Art Festival and comic shop legend The Beguiling, Page & Panel is here to stay!

A fixture of the downtown arts scene, The Ginger Press is itself a part of the story of Owen Sound and the surrounding communities. I held my first ever book launch here in 2014 and was completely overwhelmed by the support.

Highlights: Small press print runs and rarities you won’t find anywhere else, treasure trove for bookworms who want a taste of Grey-Bruce.

This bookstore has a long history and has seen many forms, but its current iteration inhabits the old grist mill in the charming village of Williamsford on Highway 6. Yes, the old grist mill. A literal maze of new and second-hand books invades every nook and cranny, right up to the rafters. You’ll spend hours searching every room and come away with an armful of obscure sci fi, cookbooks, thrillers and more.

Highlights: Remember that feeling when you saw Belle’s library for the first time? That, but in an old grist mill. Stay for lunch! Their crème brûlée is particularly delicious.

One of the few independent bookstores remaining in Ontario, and a definite must-see in the heart of Waterloo. I wished I could climb right into the reading nook in the back. Wonderfully curated collection. Everyone I spoke to in the city sung its praises!

Highlights: This place is a community hub. Check out the local meetups and join one of the many book clubs for monthly discounts!